A Year of Innovation, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Annual Review 2014 Notes
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Politics Regional Starts Finance Property Networking and lobbying The Regional Start Initiative Enterprise NI continues its The provision of spaces to ensures the voice of enterprise in focus. A force for good for support for business start ups work and grow are central to is heard where it matters. local enterprise. through flexible loan schemes. our work. Page 03 Page 06 Page 11 Page 15 Platform Exploring Enterprise Business ReBoot Social Enterprises Our Chief Executive reflects on Helping would-be Business Bootcamp fulfils a At the hub of local Social a challenging and rewarding entrepreneurs make their critical role in fast-tracking Enterprises, Enterprise NI year for Enterprise NI . business ideas become reality. business knowhow. and LEAs have a crucial role. Page 04 Page 08 Page 10 Page 16 Enterprising NI Enterprise Northern Ireland | Annual Review 2014 The Voice of Enterprise The Definitive Retrospective: A year of innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship. Annual Review 2014 Notes John D’Arcy Contents Chair, Enterprise Northern Ireland Change, challenge, risk and opportunity Politics 03 are at the core of any aspect of enterprise. So it’s no surprise that Enterprise Northern Ireland is working strategically, tactically and effectively on behalf of the enterprise 04 sector across Northern Ireland to support Platform economic and social development, growth and sustainability. The wider economic context for Northern Ireland, at this time of austerity, coupled with 06 changes to local government, make the Regional Starts role, flexibility and excellent track record of the enterprise support sector even more important than ever. People are at the heart of what we do Exploring Enterprise 08 and how we do it. I would like to thank our Board members – those elected from our membership and our independent members – who bring experience, expertise and challenge to our strategy, Business ReBoot 10 planning and delivery of Enterprise Northern Ireland’s activities. I would also like to pay tribute to the staff of Enterprise Northern Ireland for their energy, dedication and excellence in Finance 11 helping our sector deliver for Northern Ireland – its entrepreneurs, communities and people. Awards & Networking 12 Our Funding Partners Property 15 Social Enterprises 16 Technology 18 Investing in Youth 19 Enterprise NI Board Members 2014/15 Chair, John D’Arcy, The Open University Vice-Chair, Angela McGowan, Danske Bank Independent, Aidan Langan, Enterprise Equity North East, Melanie Christie- Boyle, Ballymena Business Centre North East, Francis Ashe, Acorn The Business Centre Western, John Treacy, Fermanagh Enterprise Ltd Western, Ciaran Higgins, (Resigned March 2014) Cookstown Enterprise Centre Southern, Conor Patterson, Newry & Mourne Enterprise Agency Southern, Janice Symington, Down Business Centre Ltd Eastern (O), Lynne Vance, North Down Development Organisation Ltd Eastern (O), Nichola Lockhart, Ards Business Centre Ltd Eastern (I), Seamus O’Prey, Ortus - West Belfast Enterprise Board Eastern (I), Jonathan McAlpin, East Belfast Enterprise North West, Charles Kennedy, Enterprise North West North West, Brian Murray, Workspace Ltd 2 | Enterprising NI The Voice of Enterprise Politics John D’Arcy Politics Headline Insights from our Chair obbying and developing relationships with political representatives, at Council, LAssembly, Westminster and European level is fundamental to our commitment to represent the interests of our members and the thousands of small businesses who go through our enterprise programmes. Two meetings of the All Party Group for SMEs took place in 2014. We invited a cross-section of the business community to meet and network with MLAs, ensuring that the issues they face are firmly on the political agenda. The APG is chaired by Judith Cochrane MLA, with Enterprise NI providing secretarial support. The first event, in March, gave attendees the opportunity to direct their concerns around difficulties associated with starting and maintaining small businesses in Northern Ireland to guest speaker, Finance Minister Simon Hamilton. Attendees also advocated the need for Ministers Dr Stephen Farry, Arlene Foster and Simon Hamilton joined Judith Cochrane MLA and Gordon Gough at the launch of the 2014 a strategic policy to encourage growth programme of events for the All Party Group on SMEs. The event also highlighted the ‘1 more in 4’ campaign to encourage SMEs to employ one and an environment that supports and more person over the next four years. encourages entrepreneurs to start new and grow existing businesses. Achieving the speaker at our second event. He Further meetings of the All Party Group Mr Hamilton said, “ I am determined, highlighted the work of his department will take place in 2015, to ensure that playing my part as Finance Minister, to Executive’s aim of in growing and supporting the SME SMEs first hand experiences enable achieve the Executive’s aim of growing a sector, including the issue of addressing political representatives in delivering vibrant and dynamic economy”. growing a vibrant and the skills gap, apprenticeship schemes positive outcomes for our economy. dynamic economy. and greater flexibility on employment Minister for Employment and law. The meeting was held at Law Learning, Dr Stephen Farry was guest Finance Minister, Simon Hamilton. Society House in Belfast. Engagement European Dr. Caroline O’Kane, Information & Policy Officer, was invited to brief Shadow Secretary of State, Ivan Lewis MP on issues facing the enterprise support sector and Entrepreneurial youth entrepreneurship. Gordon Gough was invited to meet with former Secretary of State, Owen Paterson Region 2015 MP, to discuss the current economic context in Northern Ireland for SMEs. Northern Ireland was selected as making Northern Ireland one of the leading European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) entrepreneurial regions in Europe.” Gordon Gough and John D’Arcy met 2015 at an awards ceremony in a number of newly appointed Chief Brussels. The award is given to Europe’s She added: “While inward investment is Executives of the new Super Councils, most outstanding regional strategies that essential for any country or region striving to advise them of the LEA network’s foster entrepreneurship and promote to make its mark in a competitive world, of successes in delivering business start-up innovation among small and medium equal importance is indigenous industry programmes and initiatives enterprises (SMEs). both in terms of the growth of existing firms and the need to encourage a greater The Enterprise, Trade and Investment The award follows a joint application by number of people to start new, innovative Committee invited Enterprise NI to the Northern Ireland Local Government and globally focused businesses.” identify the potential for the development Association (NILGA) and Invest Northern of a retail incubation strategy. Following Ireland and was supported by Enterprise The Minister praised the work of the local submission of a paper, Enterprise NI were Northern Ireland. Welcoming the news, business community in supporting SMEs: Enterprise NI Chief Executive, Gordon invited to lead on taking this work forward, Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster said: “This “This fantastic achievement is another step Gough with Andrea Rodriguez Perez, in partnership with other key business award is well deserved and recognises towards creating a more vibrant culture of Member of the President’s Cabinet, support organisations. the hard work of all those involved in entrepreneurial spirit in Northern Ireland.” Committee of the Regions Enterprise Northern Ireland Annual Review 2014 | 3 Platform Gordon Gough Starting Platform Up Since Regional Start Initiative began in 2012 we have dealt with over 15,000 enquiries Headline Insights from our Chief Executive from people looking to set up in business with more than 10,000 initial meetings with business advisers throughout the LEA network. 6,500 start-up business plans nterprise Northern Ireland (ENI) were produced surpassing our targets with undertakes three core strands of Invest NI. work on behalf of its members, namely supporting, networking The current contract officially runs to E March 2015 but may continue to October and delivery. As I reflect on the past year, I thought it might be timely to update 2015 when the new councils assume members on where we are in relation to responsibility for business start-up functions. these three strands. The Social Entrepreneurship programme SUPPORTING has set up 89 new social enterprises and Enterprise NI produces regular Policy Papers created over 220 new jobs since it started and Consultation responses on behalf in 2012. of its members. These are available from the Members Section of our website. Our Core Strands The Exploring Enterprise programme has Information and Policy Officer, Dr helped 1700 people to attain the QCF Level Caroline O’Kane, has consulted widely the work of the local enterprise network followed feedback from the LEA Chairs’ 2 qualification in Understanding Business with members on themes for policy papers for the new councils. These will provide lunch hosted this summer by John D`Arcy Enterprise with 79 going on into full time to promote the self-employment and thought leadership in enterprise and in Belfast, that the EU should provide funding employment, 62 into part time employment entrepreneurial agenda. With support from entrepreneurship initiatives. Enterprise NI is options directly for LEAs. and 286 into self-employment. Ulster Bank,